1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to the field of plant husbandry devices and systems, more particularly to the field of self watering plant containers.
2. Background of the Invention
A traditional plant container (alternatively referred to as a pot) typically comes as two parts, the pot itself and a separate saucer. The two piece construction presents certain difficulties in use. Specifically, the two pieces are handled as separate items. If it is desired to move a plant, the pot and saucer are moved separately, i.e., if both hands are necessary to carry the plant, the saucer is carried on a separate trip. If one hand may carry the pot, the other hand carries the saucer, preventing the other hand from carrying another plant. Thus, if many plants must be moved, the separate saucer multiplies the work.
In another aspect, the pot is usually watered from the top, saturating the top of the soil. For some plants and soils, this encourages insects and molds. Watering through the bottom has a further advantage in promoting root growth. To water a plant in the saucer, the water must be directed to a narrow space between the pot and saucer—difficult to accomplish if watering from a pail. A spigot is typically required to reach the saucer. The saucer being located below the plant offers further difficulties in directing the water to the saucer.
Specialized plant pots have been developed to address some of these issues. In one approach, the saucer is attached to the pot. Attached saucers often fit too close for bottom watering. In one approach a port or opening is provided at the bottom of the pot to allow filling the saucer. Again the location at the bottom of the pot and the side watering require special watering apparatus and dexterity. When carrying pots with attached saucers, a slight tilt in the assembly will typically spill water out of the saucer, necessitating careful handling.
In another approach, a series of self watering pots may have an enclosed space for water to be displaced by air as the water is used. These pots must be carefully sealed and require individual attention to remove air tight caps to add water. Because the pots must be air tight, disassembly for cleaning is difficult or not feasible.
Therefore there is a need for a plant pot with a water reservoir to extend the time between watering, a plant pot that allows watering without saturating the surface of the soil and that can be carried conveniently as a single assembly.